When Jennifer Placeway relocated to Manheim from the suburbs of Chicago, she noticed something was missing.

The mother of three young children had been involved in a play group with other moms and kids in her old neighborhood, and she wanted to bring that community connection to her new home.

Jennifer created Play Cafe, a free, weekly play group for children from birth to age 5 with a parent or caregiver. The group meets on Thursdays from 9 to 11 a.m. at Manheim Grace Church, 333 E. High St. The next session will begin on Sept. 28.

"We meet every week during the school year, with a few exceptions like around Christmastime," Jennifer said. "We also meet once a month over the summer."

She describes Play Cafe as a very relaxed, easygoing gathering. "It's very casual," she stated. "You can come and go as you please. We have a bounce house, riding toys, blocks and cars and things like that for kids to play with."

The group takes a break about 10 a.m., halfway through the program, for snacks for the kids and coffee for the adults, and Jennifer reads a story to the participants.

"It's just a nice opportunity for moms to come and connect with other moms and let their children play for free in a safe environment," she remarked.

Jennifer and her family moved to Manheim when her husband, Josh, took a job as the pastor at Manheim Grace Church. "I saw a real need for a group like this in our community," she said, noting that she started Play Cafe last fall. "My kids really need a place to burn off their energy and run around, especially in the winter and especially when they're not in school yet."

She received a positive response to her idea for the group, noting, "We were able to get some donations from our church and our community for the bounce house and other toys. Play Cafe has really been growing through word of mouth. ... We have anywhere from five to 20 kids each week."

Play Cafe serves both the children and adults who attend, she said, emphasizing the focus on fellowship. "The kids can socialize with other kids their own age, and the adults can meet each other as well," she commented. "It's a way for you to connect with other moms or grandmothers that maybe you haven't met before and who you might have something in common with."

She encourages anyone who cares for small children to come to Play Cafe. "Come and check it out and see what you think," she said. "It's a really great group of people."

There is no need to sign up for Play Cafe. Participants can just show up at the church during the meeting time. Jennifer has created a Remind text that people can join to receive schedule changes or updates by texting @mgplaycafe to 81010. Information may also be found at http://www.manheimgrace.org by clicking on "Play Cafe" under the "Ministries" tab.